AUTUMN IN THE ALPS 105 



In the neighbourhood of this latter Gentian 

 will be 



' The pliant harebell, swinging in the breeze 

 On some grey rock ;'' 



not, however, the harebell of which Wordsworth 

 sang, but the diminutive porcelain-blue (sometimes 

 white) Campanula pusilla. Dianthus superbus, the 

 Fringed Pink, doing full justice to its Latin name, 

 can be found in semi-shade at the edge of copse or 

 forest, and in company with the False Box {Poly gala 

 Chamcebuocus), aflower again as in the Spring ; and 

 late specimens of the stately brown-red, purple- 

 spotted Martagon Lily are often found of this 

 company. Gentiana vcrna, together very often 

 with G. Kochiana, is making its reappearance, 

 towards the end of September, in the parched 

 turf — coming purposely, it would seem, to bid us a 

 cheerful 'au revoir, and not good-bye.' The Monk's- 

 hood and the Wolf's-bane, too, are in bloom well 

 into the Autumn, as also are the two JNIasterworts 

 {Asti'antia major and mincyr) in some sheltered spot 

 at the fringe of the forest. Tucked away among 

 the lichened rocks, on which basks the lazy, agile 

 lizard, two white or rosy little Catchflies {Silene 

 rupestiis and S. quadrifida) may still be found in 



14 



